World

Teen invents affordable wearable stethoscope to improve diagnostics

Kayley Xu, a Year 12 student, developed Aucura, a wearable stethoscope designed to enhance respiratory diagnostics and access. After recovering from pneumonia, she sought to improve traditional stethoscopes that have changed little over time. Xu overcame challenges by creating a model of the human torso to test her device effectively. Her design aims to be affordable for clinics in rural and underfunded areas, allowing better access to medical technology.